Ferguson’s sights on crucial derby

SIR Alex Ferguson is spying the final Manchester derby as the key point in this season’s Barclays Premier League title race.

United’s 2–0 win over Stoke at Old Trafford last night allowed them to move level on points with City, who lost to a goal from Red Devils old boy Darron Gibson at Everton. See story above.

It could prove to be a pivotal evening, however, with so many big matches to play, starting at Chelsea on Sunday.

Little wonder therefore Ferguson is not expecting things to really hot up until United square up to Roberto Mancini’s men on April 28.

“This was obviously a significant victory, but we are only on the last day of January,” he said.

“I always see March and April as the important month. We’ve got Manchester City in April for instance.”

Ferguson's was thankful to emerge unscathed from a difficult couple of days in which both his first–choice keepers were ruled out through injury.

However, a toothless display from Stoke meant 21–year–old rookie Ben Amos, who had made 16 appearances on loan at Athletic last season, was largely untroubled as United cruised home thanks to penalties either side of the interval from Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov.

Ferguson has his fingers crossed that Wayne Rooney, Nani and Phil Jones are all available for Sunday's trip to Stamford Bridge, by which time midfielder Ravel Morrison might have made his debut for West Ham after leaving United on a three-and-half-year deal.